“Yeah. You’re going with us, right mom?” Bentley chimed in.
“Me? In a haunted house?”
“Yes, please mom, it’ll be fun. Come on, you’ll love it.” Colton folded his hands as if praying.
“Yeah, especially when that zombie with the tarantula coming out of his eye attacks her.”
“Ew, ew, no way.” Catherine made a gagging face and turned away. They continued to beg when she twisted abruptly and came at them with hands shaped into claws and a wrinkled face with her tongue hanging out. She snarled and lunged at Bentley. He tripped over Emily’s Dora the Explorer backpack and fell backward on his butt.
Colton snorted as Emily entered the room in her pink ballet outfit and spied her brother on the floor. Emily giggled. Bentley, embarrassed at first, began to laugh as well.
“The zombies will be more afraid of me I think,” Catherine said.
“Especially with that shirt,” Bentley said, standing up.
Catherine viewed the olive green blouse she still wore from work. It
was
ugly. She glanced at the clock. “Emily grab your ballet bag and meet me in the car. I’m going to change my clothes quickly.”
“Why?” Emily asked.
“I feel like looking like cool-mommy today.”
“Yay!” She hopped up and down and then hugged Catherine around her hips.
Catherine removed her work clothes and rummaged through her drawers for a polo shirt. Instead, she found the T-shirt Heather bought her for her birthday last year and pulled it out. Originally, she thought it as a joke but looking at it today, she knew. She yanked out a pair of jeans and raced to get dressed.
Emily tiptoed into dance class and Catherine caught sight of Odessa at the window. She groaned. A summer away from her did not feel long enough. She greeted other moms along the way and then took one final stride in front of the window. A smirk couldn’t help but emerge in the corner of her cheek.
Odessa flicked her long black nest of hair over her shoulder. She sensed Catherine’s presence and jerked her head around like an actress exiting a limousine for the red carpet. “Oh, Catherine I didn’t notice you.”
Catherine ignored her and waved when Emily stretched her leg upon the ballet barre. Emily winked, but Catherine noticed Madison more. Madison stopped stretching and watched the exchange between the mother and daughter. Catherine’s heart ached for her.
“What are you wearing?” Odessa barked at Catherine.
Catherine continued to ignore her and gave Emily the thumbs up when class began. She remained calm, kept her composure. She stood with an erect posture and then turned toward Odessa as if the first time spotting her. “Oh, hello Odessa,” she said in a clear loud voice, “I didn’t see you there. I’m so excited about Emily starting this new year.”
“I asked you what you were wearing.”
Catherine glanced down at her tight
Pink Panther
T-shirt and hid her smile. Then she brushed off a piece of lint from her jeans. “These jeans? I bought them over the summer, clearance rack, Marshalls, ten bucks, size four. Can you imagine?” She ran her hand down her butt caressing it in a seductive manner.
“I meant the shirt.”
“Pink Panther? You mean to tell me you don’t know who he is? Odessa I’m shocked at your ignorance, everyone knows who he is.” Catherine cackled, then waved her hand brushing her off.
“I know who he is. Why are you wearing it?” Odessa’s face contorted.
“To support breast cancer awareness this month. Are you saying you forgot? They’re selling bracelets at the school. I’m surprised at you. Are you feeling all right this evening?”
Odessa stood silent. Her body tensed, nostrils flared. She was muted like the Little Mermaid.
“Emily’s having a great year in school so far and she just couldn’t wait for ballet to start. How’s Madison’s fifth day in a row? She looks positively exhausted, Odessa.”
Odessa glanced into the window at Madison. Madison lagged behind the rest of the class, each move off by a second or two. “She’s fine.”
“How’s she doing in school? Third grade can be so hard with all those tests this year.”
“Why are you asking, what did you hear? Did Roslyn tell you?” Her face shrunk as if left out in the sun for days.
Catherine, no longer having fun, returned to the window. Odessa meant nothing to her. She didn’t care anymore. She needed to stop worrying about what other people thought of her.
The haunted house tour entered her mind instead. This time with images of Odessa shrieking in the middle of one of the rooms because she missed the latest sale at Aldo’s. A chuckle escaped her lips.
Chapter 39
Victoria
“Mom, why haven’t you made plans for your anniversary party yet?” Sara asked. “Isn’t it like a month away?” Sara filled her bottle with icy water from the refrigerator and then gulped down a quarter of it.
“Yeah,” Andrew piped in, “usually you’ve got these things hooked up months in advance. Losing your skills there?”
Victoria normally craved their attention and to have them both home this weekend with no plans should have overjoyed her. Instead, their questioning of a topic she avoided made her want to flee. “I thought of a few places to have it.”
“Thought of? I’m surprised you haven’t stayed up late to make party favors at this point.” Andrew chortled.
“Party favors? I have to do that?” Victoria lurched from her chair and paced to the other side of the room. The last thing on her mind was throwing a party for someone she barely spoke to anymore. She’d rather spend the money on Aiden at a bed and breakfast in Montauk. What was she thinking? Completely unrealistic.
“Do you need help mom?” Sara asked.
“Yes, I think I do. That would be great. Would you Sara?”
Victoria spent the weekend visiting restaurants able to accommodate at least fifty guests. She perused her guest list not wanting to burden anyone to come to a party honoring two hosts that were not in love anymore. What a deceptive preparation. Misleading people, faking an evening, for what? To show off her prize, her honor, thirty years of lies? She should never have told anyone.
Her cheeks burned, a blank look overtook her face, hunched shoulders met each catering manager at the restaurants. She wanted to fade into the background and let Sara take over.
Unable to stomach it any longer, she chose the fourth restaurant they surveyed. Victoria found herself choosing food items Aiden would enjoy and imagined him feeding her.
“I don’t think dad likes salmon,” Sara interjected.
“I do. I like salmon. Is that all right with everyone? It’s my party too isn’t it? Can’t I order what I like? I’m paying for the entire thing myself.”
The catering manager winced, asked if they needed a minute alone and then retreated.
“Mom, are you ok?” Sara patted her mother’s shoulders and Victoria let her daughter see her cry for the first time. “Mom, there is something wrong, what is it?”
Victoria convulsed as if trying to hide the sobs within her, shook her head and let the menus, and her tears, crash to the floor.
Release it, that’s it, let it all out. Get rid of it, enough’s enough. Years of hiding her pain exploded in front of her daughter. She held nothing back, and it felt good.
After another minute, she clenched her eyes tight and slowed her breathing, deep and slow, deep and slow through her mouth.
“Is this too much pressure, mom? You don’t have to do this you know.”
“I have to, he earned it. We achieved something many people will never do. It’s only right to do this, it’s a huge accomplishment.” She retrieved the menus refusing to let Sara see another drop from her eyes. “Now where were we? Salmon. Yes, I like that, and the beef tenderloin. Any fingerling potatoes? And what about dessert, any blueberry tarts?”
Chapter 40
Heather
Heather and Silvatri left the new rock climbing facility and strolled toward their cars. “Want to come back to my place?” he asked.
Heather’s heart flipped. Did he say his house? What she felt a few weeks ago was real. Things were different, and now an invite back to his home. “Yes, sure, of course.”
“Follow me with your car.”
He led her to a bedroom decorated in lush fabrics. Curtains to comforters adorned with red and aqua flowers accented by similar color pillows, candles and a throw rug. The scent of apples lingered in the air. He tossed the decorative pillows from the bed onto the floor beside the dresser.
Her initial uncomfortable feelings about being in his home were diffused by his welcoming gestures during a passionate round of sex. Finally seeing him completely naked, his muscular shoulders, tight little butt, rippling abs. Watching him lounge across his bed like a Playgirl model, the light from the ceiling fan reflecting off his skin. He tickled her ribs and squeezed her nose like a bunch of neighborhood kids goofing off in the summer grass.
The bright light and increased space to roll around and experiment in comfort provided them with enhanced intimacy. The affection and tenderness between them reached new heights. He rolled his finger over her thighs and she dreamed of this being their bedroom one day.
Silvatri rested his head on her chest and wrapped his arm around her naked body. She stroked his hair, twirling her fingers behind his ear and watched their chests rise and fall with each relaxing breath. “This is your bedroom?” she asked.
“This?” He sprang up. “No way, this is the guest room, our bedroom’s upstairs. You can’t go in there.”
Our
bedroom
?
“Why not?”
“That’s mine and my wife’s bedroom.” He shook his head like she was a moron.
“But you’re separated, and I thought…” She pulled the blanket up to cover her bare body, suddenly feeling like a whore.
“Thought what?”
“You invited me back to your home tonight, you never did that before.”
“The new rock climbing facility is only a half mile away from here. What did you want, to squeeze into your truck again?”
“But you never invited me here before.”
“The other facility is all the way in Northdale Springs. Besides, it’s getting too cold for the car.” He twisted his body to face her. She looked toward the door not speaking. “Heather, what are you saying? You thought because I invited you back here it meant something?”
“But last month, at the Gunks, on that rock, it was different, slower. The way you kissed me, touched me.”
“We were only yards away from the trail.” He laughed. “I was trying to be quiet. I also kept an ear open in case anyone was coming. Kept my eyes open too. Why are you turning this into something it’s not?”
“I just thought…” She slid down under the covers, only her face visible. “We’ve been together for five months. The slow kiss, the soft touches, the lovemaking on the rock.”
“Lovemaking? When was it ever love making? Heather, it was always sex. We agreed from the very first day this would only be sex.”
“We’ve spent every week together rock climbing, talking.”
“And having sex in your truck. I don’t believe this.” Silvatri stood and grabbed his shorts. “I chose you because I thought you’d be safe.”
“Chose me? Thought I’d be safe?”
“I mean, you’re married, not single. We agreed no feelings involved.”
“But it progressed, we became close.”
“You’re married.”
“I told you I was unhappy.”
“And what were you expecting?” He held his palms out, waiting for an answer.
“I thought possibly when you got divorced, maybe it could work with us and then I’d get divorced too.”
“Heather, I’m not getting divorced. I love my wife, I miss my son.”
“But you’re separated.”
“And going to marriage counseling. I’ll do whatever it takes, I don’t care how long it takes.”
“But she just renewed her lease for another year.”
He swung around, deep frowns formed in his forehead. He seized the edge of the comforter and yanked it toward him, leaving her naked body exposed. “Look, I made a mistake, I got caught. I went to marriage counseling, I let her get her own apartment, gave her space, let her think it through. I’m doing whatever it takes to get her back.”
“Then why are you with me?”
“I did it all, everything she asked, I did it. But after a year of jerking off, it wears on you. I have needs too. While she’s figuring out her life, I have needs.”
“What?” Heather reached for her bra and T-shirt. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“Look who’s talking, what are you doing? You’re no different. You spend your life with someone who treats you like crap, and then you cheat on him to get what you’re missing. “
She took his cargo pants, heaved them onto the floor and far away from her. She pivoted to the edge of the bed and plucked her thong from the floor.
He sat next to her and touched her knee. She recoiled. “Heather, I fucked up. I love my wife, she’s amazing, I can’t complain at all. She was good to me, we had fun together, we enjoyed playing with Robbie. I can’t even say the sex was bad because it was great.”
“Then what the fuck?”
“In my office, there was an NP. She worked evenings with me. I won’t lie, she was hot. Tight ass, wore these low cut scrub tops. Young, cute, flirty. I avoided her at first, but it became more difficult. When everyone left for the night, she stayed and helped me finish up. After several weeks, we started sitting in my office at the end of every night, talking.”
“One morning I woke and realized I had this vivid dream about her. I went to work that evening and couldn’t stop looking at her ass when she bent over. Then at one point, she bent toward me and she had this purple and black striped bra on. It reminded me of those can-can girl outfits and how they lift up their skirts when they dance and kick their legs in the air. The whole evening I walked around with a hard-on.
After everyone left, we sat in my office flirting. Bad. I started and I kept it going. After an hour, I mentioned that I saw a glimpse of her bra earlier. She asked if I got a good look. The next thing I know, she lifted her scrub top over her head, threw it to the floor and sauntered over to me. Put her bra right in my face.”